Macari Vineyards Long Island North Fork

The Macari Vineyards Non Vintage Sette, $17, is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. The wine is fairly deep in color, with a nose of prune, licorice, and clove. Mainstream dry, this wine is medium bodied with mid-level acidity, chewy tannins, and flavorful palate notes of tobacco, jammy black fruit, mocha and black pepper. The finish shows some truly enjoyable ripeness, with a nice echo of the tannins.

The Macari Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot, $19, is 100% Merlot, a deep ruby in color. The nose is pronounced, bringing aromatic notes of black cherry, licorice, mint and tobacco leaf. Dry and medium bodied, this wine has some playful acidity that combines nicely with slightly tangy fruits: cherry and a bit of pomegranate with some cedar and tobacco box in the back. The wine also has a spice element, notably black pepper, a touch of vanilla, perhaps cardamom. Tannins are about as chewy as those of the Sette. Mouthfeel is on the soft side: very friendly. Mid-palate is substantial, leading to a finish that is a good balance of the fruit tang, the long-lasting tannins, and oak-regime elements like toasted walnut and cocoa.